Yeuch...

Feeling yucky at the moment...have been sick over the weekend and then had to go to the dentist this morning for 2 fillings. I came home and crawled into bed feeling like a hamster with over-stuffed cheeks. Not a good look. Slept a couple of hours then finished reading a really cool book (if you like that sort of thing). Then I came down to the lounge and watched a bit of Ellen and now there is nothing on the telly and I am considering watching a good ole Rom Com Chick Flick to lift my spirits again.

I really need to have a look at my goals again soon but I don't feel like I have the energy today. Can you believe it's June already...that's just down-right crazy...we're almost half way through the year and I'm fairly certain I am not half way through my goals.

I am off to use up all my remaining energy on picking a movie. Might be back later this week in higher spirits (I hope).

Handbag (Tagged by Kelly)

Kelly tagged me to do this so here it is!

1. Take a photo of your handbag

2. List what is in it (no leaving anything out!)

Okay so my bag is pretty old - the make is Custard and I got it for a bargain in a surfy type shop in Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow many moons ago. I'm sure it was a fiver or some other complete steal! It's not my full time bag as I tend to swap. I normally use a different bag for work but as I have been on holiday this week I downgraded to a smaller bag. It's still quite a "Mary Poppins" number though in that I seem to be able to cram a lot in.

And here is a list of what's in it currently:

• Purse (purple, make: Jag, containing: various credit and eftpos cards, loyalty cards for a number of places where I don't seem to shop, 2 pairs of earrings - I have a habit of taking them off half way through the day and chucking them in my purse, $2.20 in change)
• 2 packets of tissues - one menthol, one plain
• my red iPod Nano in it's pink snoopy bag (bought in Hong Kong at the night markets)
• a pink highlighter (I love hightlighting things randomly and I also like pink)
• a Gap (organisation I work for) pen (not pictured)
• Panadol (7 left on the strip of 10)
• a silver packet which contains a rugby trading card which you get free in packets of crisps - this is from the bag of crisps I got from the cinema last week and I'm saving it for my boss's children who collect them
• Mills and Boon Novel - The Inconvenient Bride by Anne McAllister - for some light hearted reading when the going gets tough
• Whitcoulls $20 voucher (remaining from $30 of vouchers I got from my birthday last October) - I have been saving it for something really special that I wouldn't normally buy and so far have not found anything that merits it's worth
• my crappy Nokia cell phone circa 1960 (at least that's how old it looks) - I really want a new one but don't have the inclination to spend the huge amount that phones seem to cost here in NZ
• United Video coupons - from last Saturday and Tuesday when I got movies and a Singstar game for my week off
• Purple glasses cleaning cloth although I can never find it when I want to use it and end up using my sleeve or bottom of my top instead
• Camera case (which also normally holds the camera except I needed the camera to take the picture)

Wow - that was quite fun! And for once I don't seem to have too much crap in my bag! On any other day it's quite possible by bag could have contained any of the following:

• poo bags for walking the dog
• dog treats
• Graeme's sunglasses
• umbrella
• shopping list
• craft stuff
• water bottle
• notepad
• diary
• a wad of old reciepts mostly from Starbucks

but not today!

So there you have it. I tag anyone who reads this that has the inclination to do it :-)

I'm back! (already!)

I said I would be didn't I?!

Well, day 4 (including weekends) of my 9 days off and I am loving it.

I am feeling pretty laid back and relaxed and I've also done a few things that make me feel like I've achieved something too...it's all good.

• I have baked a lemon cake (all gone) and some chocolate chip cookies (which won't last long once Graeme gets home!)
• I have scrapbooked 1 page (I am waiting for something to dry and then it will be finished and I might take a picture and upload it)
• I have decluttered the bathroom
• I have taken the dog to the vets because he had a gash on his foot on Friday night - he's now on meds and twice daily cleaning with salt water
• I have read
• I have watched one of my 6 DVDs that I hired for this week
• I cut the grass
• I have done heaps of laundry
• I have slept in
• I have been t'internet surfing
• and I am sure there are heaps of other things too!

Oh yeah - and I have taken a couple of photos too including this strange, arty shot

I really do want to learn more about photography. It would be cool to take a class in photography but I would need to find out if I could do it with my point and shoot camera - I don't have enough funds to buy a super dooper 'proper' camera right now. I am occasionally pleased with the photos I manage to take with the current camer though including this one

And as for the rest of my week off? We shall see but I am hoping for more of the same plus I should probably fit some exercise in there too!

I'm hoping to be back again in a few days!

I just won't know to do with myself...

I have a week off and it feels very strange.
The cool thing is that's it's all lieu time so I don't need to take any leave.
I've been really looking forward to it.
But it still feels weird.
I can't remember a time I took a whole week off just to be.
When I wasn't sick or wasn't going anywhere or didn't have visitors coming.
So it's a whole new experience.

In typical me fashion I have numerous lists on the go of things that it would be 'good' to do this week.
'Good' can be defined in 2 ways:
1) it has to be done and even though I may not enjoy it - I will feel better once it's done
2) it's something I enjoy doing so it will be fun

So I hope for a week (or 9 days once I count the weekends...although day 1 is nearly done so 8 more days to go!) of sleeping, watching movies, taking photos, scrapbooking, exercising, decluttering, giving myself beauty treatments, blogging, baking, emailing, journalling, doing projects and completing chores.

Of course each of these different activities have their own list and then I have tried to create a spreadsheet so I complete one of each type of activity each day....am I crazy or what?!

So far today I am nowhere near done with all the activities but I've done some.
I have a terrible habit of beating myself up (figuratively rather than literally) over uncompleted items on lists but this week I am going to try real hard not to do that.
I will do what I get done and that will be it.

I have spent heaps of time today being inspired by some cool artistic peoples blogs and found some really cool quotes.
Here is one that I might re-read every morning of my week off:

This bright, new day...complete with 24 hours of opportunities, choices and attitudes...a perfectly matched set of 1440 minutes.
This unique gift, this one day, cannot be exchanged, replaced or refunded.
Handle with care.
Make the most if it.
There is only one to a customer.
[Author Unknown]

And I hope to be back here blogging at least a couple more times this week :-)

Lazy Saturday afternoons

As much as I winge about how cold and miserable it gets once the clocks of changed I must to admit it has it's benefits. With the start of the soccer season comes Saturday afternoons all to myself to do with as I wish!

Last week I was crafty...this week I am finally getting round to rewatching the BBC Pride and Prejudice adaptation on DVD. Graeme got me it for my birthday last October (!) and the weather has been far too nice up until now for me to justify watching it!

Today it is chilly and was raining earlier (although it's cleared up now) so I am sat here surfing the net on the laptop while watching P&P. What more could a girl want then spending the afternoon with Colin Firth!

I am even considering wrapping up in a blanket, making myself a hot chocolate and putting the fire on!

and then maybe I'll go a little crazy and have a nap ;-)

Tough times

It's been a tough few weeks for one reason and another. I am considering changing the security on the blog so people have to be invited and then sending an invite to people who I want to read about my boring (!) life. Maybe once that's done I can share a bit more about what's been happening but let's just say work has been crazy but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting closer. I have been working silly hours and trying to hold the fort but soon I will have some extra help and support.

I need to have another look at my goals soon and work out where I am at. Now that the dust is starting to settle.

I have been doing some stuff I enjoy this weekend - namely scrapbooking which I love! Here is a layout I did on Friday night while Kill Bill was on (we have this movie on DVD - both volumes - and yet we watch it when it's on telly complete with adverts...weird!)

A self portrait I took because I bought a new scarf I liked and then I decided to do a different kind of page inspired by some scrappy/art blogs I've been reading lately.

And here's another one I did a few weeks ago while I'm sharing:

I also made a mini album yesterday for my sister in law's birthday. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out. May post some photos of that another day.

Art and scrapping is keeping me sane at the moment. I love being creative and I must admit I love winter because it gives me a good excuse to say snuggled up inside being crafty!

Phew! It's Friday baby!

It's been a big week. A very big week.

And I am so glad it's Friday.

I don't really have any plans for the weekend so I plan to catch up on sleep, exercise, eat some healthy food and relax.

And we now have wireless internet - woo hoo! So I am writing this post in the lounge, on the laptop, during the advert for American Idol. It's fab. Now I can check my emails in bed! Seeing as I plan to spend a lot of time there this weekend this wireless malarky could come in quite handy!

As for the work situation - I didn't get a promotion but I did get what I wanted. I still get to work in a job I love and I have a new manager who sounds like she is really switched on. I am hoping to meet her next week. So it's all change at work but I am hoping it's a move forward and will all be for the greater good.

I recently did an exercise to try and determine my key values which would help me with my goal setting. I realised that balance is a very important value to me. It's interesting - I just google imaged 'balance' and a lot of pictures of scales have come up. I am a libran so I suppose I should have realised that balance would be important to me. This weekend will be about regaining some balance and trying to feel levelled (trying to use another word for balance!)

Balance was possibly the reason I was so keen to try meditation...I did go along to the class last week but I am not certain it's for me. It certainly was an interesting afternoon but I am not sure that it will help me with where I am at at the moment. So meditation will take a backburner for now and I will investigate some other relaxation methods that will help me switch off.

And I also finished my Herbs course this week which was good. I am glad I signed up for it. It's definetly given me some inspiration for using herbs for cooking, crafting and also for medicinal purposes!

I'm off to chill out in front of American Idol and have a relaxing weekend. More on the other goals later methinks.

Weekend...woo hoo!

Yay! It's the weekend - just what I need! It's been a long and tiring week.

I have quite a lot to do this weekend (eeek!)...

I am going to a Learn to Meditate class on Sunday afternoon so come the end of the weekend I should be centred and enlightened....here's hoping!

I have a job interview next week so I have to prepare for that.

I need to go to work for a wee while tomorrow to get some stuff finished before a heavy week next week.

I need to get to the gym and have a go on the Treadmill again (which I've had a couple of go's on so far and man, do I have a long way to go!)

I want to get some writing done this weekend.

Plus I want to sleep...

In fact, I'll think I'll go and make a start on that last one just now

Putting me to shame!

I hope this link works - http://www.stuff.co.nz/4428343a10.html

Just in case it doesn't - here's a brief overview of the story.

A 10 year old boy who goes to a Junior School in NZ gets up at 6.30am every morning to write before he goes to school. He had his first novel published aged 9 and he has sold about 50 of each of his books and has orders for more.

Wow! What the kids are up to these days eh?

Of course - at the age of 10 I was working hard for the parents business and feeding the zoo of animals we had which is my excuse for not getting published by the time I left Primary School.

I'm not entirely sure what my excuse is these days but I am trying!

Currently 'thinking' about my edits on my NaNo 07 novel and also have some ideas bubbling for the next story. Have been doing lots of research on the web of how published authors edit their stories. Now I just need to sit down and get the edits made.

Methinks I need a deadline....

You cannot be serious

No, but really, someone please tell me how it got to be MARCH already? !
Where has this year gone! I know I was away for the first few weeks of January but February flew by be with the blink of an eye. Is the whole year going to be like this?

It already feels like so long since I saw everyone in the UK over Christmas and New Year and now, to realise it's March! I have a lot to get done in the next 12 months so I better get crackin'!

I started a food diary yesterday (yawn!)...I hate doing it but have to to make sure I am scoffing the right foods. I have a plan in action - I want to average a loss of 0.5kg per week between now and next May. It's do-able - I just need to stay committed. Now, I just want the treadmill to be delivered (impatient? me? never!) while I have some motivation so I can have a go at that!

I like Autumn - it's probably my favourite season but I am looking out the window at the trees blowing all over the place and the sleet-ish rain coming down and realise I'm not quite ready for summer to end yet...I need a bit more sunshine to keep me motivated at least until I can get a healthy new routine in place. I'm gonna wish for a few more weeks of sunshine...at least until the clocks change on the 6th April!